1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to decorative, shaped objects that exude a fragrance, and more particularly to a technique for cladding the object with a transparent film of synthetic plastic material that conforms to the contours of the object and emits a fragrance whose scent is appropriate to the nature of the object.
2. Status of Prior Art
The aroma of perfumes and perfume-based products such as colognes and toilet waters was originally derived from the essential oils of plants. However, since the early 19th centry, chemists have succeeded in analyzing many essential oils and in creating thousands of synthetics, some simulating natural products and others yielding altogether new scents. Perfumes today are largely blends of natural and synthetic scents and of fixatives which equalize vaporization and enhance pungency. In most liquid scents the ingredients are combined with alcohol or other solvents.
The Spector U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,692 discloses a decorative figure or other shaped object molded of foam plastic material having dispersed throughout its cellular structure a volatile liquid fragrance. When exposed to the atmosphere,the figure then continuously exudes the fragrance for a prolonged period, the figure proceeding to shrink as a result of liquid loss.
The present invention resides in a decorative, three-dimensional figure or other shaped object molded of plastic or other non-porous material, the object being clad with a transparent shrink wrap film that conforms to the contours of the object and exudes a fragrance. Hence of prior art background interest are patents relating to shrink wrap film, such as the patent to Mueller et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,443 which discloses a multi-layer shrink wrap film. Also the patent to Wynn et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,743 disclosing a tear-resistant reinforced shrink wrap film.
Of particular interest is the patent to Shah U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,142 which stresses the desirability of having a shrink wrap film--with low mousture permeability. In contradistinction, a shrink wrap film in accordance with the invention is porous and therefore has a high moisture permeability.
The two major families of plastic resins from which commercially available shrink films are made are made for wrapping purposes are the polyolefins and polyvinyl chlorides. The distinguishing characteristic of a shrink film lies in its ability to shrink when exposed to some level of heat, or if the film itself is restrained, to create shrink tension within the film.
This ability is exploited by passing the object wrapped in shrink film through a hot air tunnel, thereby causing the film to shrink around the product to produce a tight, transparent cover that conforms to the contours of the product. Typical items wrapped in PVC or polyolefin shrink films are toys, sporting goods, hardware, household products and industrial parts.